Lets hope for a better record in 2013
December 31, 2012, 20:13:56
Meyer let us down in 2012, 57% is just not good enough - not even close. Meyer needs to be given an ultimatum, buck up or ship out. Nothing short of 80% by end of next year should suffice. If he has not learnt from his 2012 mistakes, which by all accounts he has not given his pathetic call of wanting Jean as his captain for another year, then the earlier he goes the better. Did the man not learn that Jean is past it and not good enough to make the match 23 anymore? Meyer needs to move on from this warped idea that washed up hasbeens are going to win us tests moving forward or that out dated tactics like the kick and chace are going to worry the top sides out there. The man needs to select on merit and form and he needs to get with the times tactics wise. So what does he have to work with: Fullback: Lambie, Taute and Frans are the only real options. It would be good to see the two Bulls youngsters in Ulrich Beyers and Visser making an impact. Willie le Roux is a handy player but might struggle physically at the next level. We need to move on from the solid enough Kirchner. Ludik should have had a look in a few seasons back but its probably too late for him now at 27. Wings: JP and Habana are the incumbents, we will have to see if Habana still has it. Mvovo remains an option. The youngsters to look at include v/d Heever, Rhule and Mapoe, of which Rhule looks the real deal. It would be good to see the return to form of Sharks pair Mjekevu and Sithole. JJ Engelbrecht and Jordaan, who are primarily centres are also options on the wing. Basson is physically not up to test rugby. Centre: Jean has to go, was a great servant to Bok rugby but past it. de Jongh is not physically up to test rugby and needs to be forgotten about. The options at outside centre are JP, Taute, JJ Engelbrecht and Jordaan. Bok U20 Pat Howard really impresses me as does JP du Plessis of WP. Hopefully Sadie finds his form and lives up to his potential at the Cheetahs. Watch out for next years Bok U20 Tyler Fisher of the Sharks and it will be good to see the return of Jan Serfontein's Grey Bloem and SA Schools centre partner Dries Swanepoel, who by all accounts is as good as Jan. At inside centre we have Frans Steyn as the obvious choice, with youngsters like Jan Serfontein, Whitehead, Frans Venter and de Allende pushing. Jean must no longer play for the Boks. Flyhalf: Goosen should make the position his own. Lambie and Jantjies will give us depth. Catrekillis looked good for WP and I like the look of young Fouche of the Bulls. Morne must never play another game for the Boks - we have to move on to a dynamic option at 10. Creativity and flair at 10 is a must. Scrumhalf: Hougaard needs to prove to Meyer that he is the only option at 9, it should never have been in doubt, the S15 will settle this once and for all. Pienaar like Habana, might have a bit more to offer the Boks. There are some good young 9's coming through in Reinach, v/Zyl, Groom and Schrauder. Prop: Beast has a good few years left in him, Meyer should push the Mujati passport issue and Jannie might have a year or so left in him. Hopefully Coenie recovers to full strength and goes from strength to strength as he is a class act who can make a big difference. We have plenty of quality young props coming through in Kitshoff, Marcel v/d Merwe, Malherbe, Nkanyane, Frik Kirsten, Rossouw de Klerk, Chadwick and Mellett. Why on earth Meyer chose to invest in washed up fatties like Steenkamp and CJ is beyond me. Pat Cilliers does not look test material and Heinke v/d Merwe was another very strange Meyer call. With the youngsters we have at our disposal there is no need for these stupid selections in the future. Hooker: Bismark was sorely missed, despite how well Strauss played. Chiliboy is a quality hooker as are Callie Visagie and Deon Fourie. Scara Ntumbeni of WP looks a good ball player and very active but might not be physically up to it. Young Cooper of the Sharks looks handy. Lock: Etzebeth is the one dead cert, what a player this guy is going to be. A keen gym man, hell knows how much bigger and stronger he is going to get. A fit Bekker will remain in the equation but Meyer needs to find a longterm partner for Etzebeth. Jeandre Kruger proved a bit of a damp squid, physically not up to test rugby and off overseas anyway. Flip is a quality player. We have a cupboard full of young locks in Steph du Toit, Paul Willemse, Quinn Roux, Bresler, JA Marais, Peet Marais, Elstadt, Ruan Botha, Roodt, Carl Wegner, E.Oosthuizen and Bulbring. Loosies: We have loosies to burn. Alberts and Louw will provide experience. Vermeulen looked comfortable at test level. Brussouw should always be part of the equation, as should Daniel. Meyer needs to invest in the quality youngster coming through like Kolisi, Elstadt, Carr, Arno Botha, Dewald Potgieter, Coetzee, v/Wyk, Rhodes, Kriel, Labascagne, Cook, Koster, Ardendorf, Whiteley and he needs to award Irish bound CJ Stander a cap so we can secure his services for the future. This kid is far too good to let Ireland have him. What we don't need Meyer doing, is selecting the likes of Schalk and Spies next year, but chances are we will see this happen given his history of selecting past its. Lets just hope Meyer has learnt from his selection and game plan mistakes, failing which 2013 is going to be another frustrating year. We have the best young talent I have seen for years at our disposal, Meyer needs to invest in these players if we are to move forward. Nothing short of 80% I say. Meyer needs to do Bok rugby a service and achieve the results worthy of the players we have. We can forgive him for a poor first year but there are no excuses come 2013
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